New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-10-30
THE MORSE STATUE UNVEILED.
OLE BULLS PLAN AT LAST CARRIED OUT.
A FITTING MEMORIAL IN BOSTON OF THE ANCIENT
DIsCOvERER OF vINLAND.



A FITTING MEMORIAL IN BOSTON OF THE ANCIENT
DIsCOvERER OF VINLAND
fBY TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUNE
Boston, Oct GA few years ago Ole Bull the violh-
lat started movement In Boston Tor the erecton OF
statue 10 the Inc mory of Lief Ericsson the celandc ek
por.r who it Is claimed was the first to discover this
continent The subscriptions Jagged for time, but after
Ole Bulls death the movement was pushed ahsad ana
funds 10 erect proposed statute were raised
day the statue dedicated 1t is Of bronze and
represents a heroic figure eight and ene-haif Feet In
height The exception bold and strong and the exc
cution admirable. There stand the typical Nortnman
upon whose rugged features is impressed look conpn
ing drmness and gentlsness. Tho attitude is cay
The weight Of tho body is thrown
chiefly upon the right foot, which Is
slightly advanced The hair is disheveled and tossed as
by strong ocean winds The loft hand shades the eyes
and the whole attitude is that OF man earnestly search
ing the horizon fer some distant spst Firmly grasped
in the right ha nd which is held slightly behind tho body
is horn The boly is represented as clothed In SHIRT
OF mail with leggngs OF buckskn upon tho sturdy limbs
The shoes are heavy and srsng The pose suggests the
eager stranng search of man standing upon the Prov
his vessel and earnestly looking for the land he hopes
TO lind.
The pedestal ia OF Longmeadow stone with rough
crandled surface At each corner Is carved dophns
head The base Of the pedestal Is shaped ike
an ancient Morse barque, with the raised Prov
and stern. On the prov Is carved the head OF
sea monster, while the stern is cut ike tall.
On the east is the inscription: Lief the dscoverer
son OF Eric sailed from Iceland and landed on this
continent A. d. 1000"
On the west face Is tho same inscription in ancient
rupic ON the other tive faces are tablets OF bronze
Ono Of these represents the dseovercr andns on the
rocky shore The other his telling Of the stsry on MS ~
turn. The artist Is the sculptor Miss Anae whitney
The preliminary exercises OF dedication were held In
Faneul Hall. beginning at 1870 this afternoon The az
tendance Of both large. Upon the platform
speakers and the guests OF the day. and at one
side the members the Lief Ericsson Chorus composed
Of male voices The floor OF the hall was occupied by the
members Of the societies which were 10 participate In the
parade and who entered shortly before p m headed
by tho Cadet band playing the Swedish march After
few moments spent By the marshss In arranging thsse
upen the floor, The Rev. Dr. Edward Everett Halo
stepped to the trent OF the platform and delivered tho
opening address which received with frequent ap-
plause He said In part:
Fer the beautiful monument be unveiled to-day We
must first .: all eiprs oar mucb 70 os ysar. to
bring Norway AID her history close TO hearts OF amer
these cheerful lands where In another age the raven
had flown ovor widsrness and had not found per
proud OF Bis counrys history proud Of the great
achievement which well marked the snd OF tne mIs.
it memorial Of that achievement should be preserved
in brcn1e or In marble For that meroral, ~ea pace
whore. may we'll suppose those brave adventnrers
eateredf
lie acknowledged fully the sympathy OF half Europe,
a. 1t was expressed In tho documents which he had tho
pleasure road 10 them. He expressed the thanks oil
the association the City of Boston and TO the Govern
nent which had cordially assisted in the enterprise
The city has undertaken 70 make in the pedestal beau
fu fountain giving the best gft OF God to man. In per
pstua of tho enterprise and courage OF the
great Morse seaman.
Professor T. y. orsord. OF Cambridge then delivered
the dedcatory address subject OF the Mortimer
I'm America" IL was an able discussion OF the historical
question and will be read by many when given in its
pamphlet form. 1t was essentially a review OF the
Icelsndic traditions and tho known facts OF history In
support OF the trustverthiaes OF the sagss. which
affirmed that Lief Ericsson discovered America In the
year 900 Professor IIorstord quoted number OF
eminent authorities The great fact sustained by this
array OF authority that somewhere TO the
southwest OF Greenland, distance Of At least fort
,ght sail there were for 300 yesrs after the beginning
OF the eleventh century Morse colonies tho coast OF
the continent America with which colonies the homo
country maintained commercial Intercourse The csus
try 10 which the merchant vessels sailed was called Nm
land Tho fact nextin Importance that This history es
tabshes is that the first Norhman 10 set foot on the
shores OF vin4nd Liof Ericsos. OF the Newport
Tower. Professor Horsford said:
There Is also tile stone tower ~ Newport. which Is
OF Nor.e architecture and recalls certain stone wind
mills Of England. rs Dr. Palfrey has pointed ont II
recalls also massive shafts and archie, OF the Norman
Chaps. In the White Tswsr OF London and the columns
IN se grand old Norwegian churches At sisvaHser asd
Al Trondhelfn Int N after all found 10 have been
mentioned in the will Of Mr. Arnold. wel.EnOvn carly
rcsilento Newport who owned the lands about me
its construction preserved In the diary OF sortcm
psrary citizen
point OF evidonc. discussed at ieasth wa. that OF
names OF place, that wcro suggestive OF Morse origin
In closing the speaker sad:
weunye to day the statue in which Anne whitney
has expressed - willy her concsptoa OF ta. leader
who. almos, nine centuries age first trod our
shores. DO not be surprised II you fail
SS'T sSa creation yes ds1 ns
Iongfc!ew would have set up IN Boston. Could we hut
bear her acclaim al snSh in .n o, ~; dese'
song Such memorial Ole Bull earliest 81 all conceived
alton the loyal hcra 70 his name and purpose for
years longed and labored ami prayed for believe
II is worthy OF Lief aud Of Boston.
As the cxerclscs.closcd IN fancul Hall cheers were
gwen for Mrs Ole Bull. who had seat in OF the
balconies The procession formed aud marched to the
statue Commonwealth ave, west Of Chester Pnrk.
The exercises there consisted Of selections by
orchestra the reading Of coagratuiatory messages,
music by the scandinavian Chorus and the orchestra
and the unyciing OF tie statue Colonel Peabody then
said:
/ have the honor 10 represent the subscribers who
have erected This statue unveiled OF Lief Ericsson.
the OF this continent In the year OF Our Lord
1000 from he loSs ana sors "l lhe Norse t,dltiont
the Viking and stands before you IN the clear
light OF history In the nnnc OF those who have raised
this monument now present II Ia your Honor for the
City of Boston beg also TO express the appreciation
OF the consideration of the
mcnt ia giving Il 80 conspicuous n position this
beautiful at the head Of long line To statesmen
and heroes trust that it may add 10 the permanent
interest OF your administration that you have been the
first 10 officially recognize the great historic Importance
OF this 10 the city the state and the whole cont
ncnt
Mayor OBrien accepted the statue on behalf Of the
city and congratulated the committee the successful
termination of work. He congratulated the citizens
of Boston that there lives among them woman OF
genius and talent capable OF producing such work.
There a time years ago when Miss Whitney received
scarcely fair treatment because she woman but
now her stands high the roll OF living sculpoTs
After. music by the chorus, memorial wreaths were